Pop superstar and actor Lady Gaga has addressed the mixed reception to her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. Following the film's release, Gaga, who portrays Harley Quinn, largely remained silent, focusing instead on the companion album, Harlequin. However, in a recent interview with Elle, she opened up about her experience. Gaga explained that she navigates negative feedback, as she does with any challenging release, by managing her expectations beforehand.
"People just sometimes don’t like some things," Gaga stated. "It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended.”
AnswerSee ResultsJoker: Folie à Deux, a sequel to Todd Phillips’ highly successful 2019 film, premiered last October to a less-than-enthusiastic response from critics and audiences. It currently holds a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviews describing it as mediocre and failing to live up to its potential as a musical, courtroom drama, or meaningful sequel. Its theatrical run was short-lived, leading to a swift digital release and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav labeling its performance "disappointing."
Gaga acknowledged the impact of this less-than-stellar reception, stating, “When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem.”
Despite the mixed reviews of Joker: Folie à Deux, Gaga is moving forward with her next project: the release of her new studio album, Mayhem, this March, ending a five-year wait since Chromatica. For further perspectives on Joker 2, explore why Quentin Tarantino praised the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes its reception will evolve over time. You can also find our list of 2024's biggest disappointments here.
